Synchronous clock generator including duty cycle correction

ABSTRACT

A clock generator for generating an output clock signal synchronized with an input clock signal and having a corrected duty cycle. The clock generator includes an input buffer to buffer the input clock signal and generate a buffered clock signal and an output buffer to generate the output clock signal in response to first and second clock signals applied to first and second inputs. An adjustable delay loop coupled to the output of the input buffer and coupled to the first and second inputs of the output buffer has a single feedback delay loop and is configured to generate a first clock signal and a second clock signal. The second clock signal is out of phase from the first clock signal by 180 degrees.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to integrated circuits, and morespecifically, to clock generator that generates an output clock signalhaving a corrected duty cycle and that is synchronized with an inputclock signal provided to the clock generator.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In synchronous integrated circuits, the integrated circuit is clocked byan external clock signal and performs operations at predetermined timesrelative to the rising and falling edges of the applied clock signal.Examples of synchronous integrated circuits include synchronous memorydevices such as synchronous dynamic random access memories (SDRAMs),synchronous static random access memories (SSRAMs), and packetizedmemories like SLDRAMs and RDRAMs, and include other types of integratedcircuits as well, such as microprocessors. The timing of signalsexternal to a synchronous memory device is determined by the externalclock signal, and operations within the memory device typically must besynchronized to external operations. For example, read data are placedon a data bus by the memory device in synchronism with an external clocksignal. The memory device must latch and drive the data onto the databus at the proper times to successfully provide the read data. To latchthe read data and drive it onto the data bus, an internal clock signalis developed in response to the external clock signal, and is typicallyapplied to the data latches and data drivers contained in the memorydevice to thereby clock the data onto the data bus. The internal clocksignal and external clock must be synchronized to ensure the internalclock signal clocks the latches and data drivers at the proper times tosuccessfully provide the read data. In the present description,“external” is used to refer to signals and operations outside of thememory device, and “internal” to refer to signals and operations withinthe memory device. Moreover, although the present description isdirected to synchronous memory devices, the principles described hereinare equally applicable to other types of synchronous integratedcircuits.

Internal circuitry in the memory device that generates the internalclock signal necessarily introduces some time delay, causing theinternal clock signal to be phase shifted relative to the external clocksignal. As long as the phase-shift is minimal, timing within the memorydevice can be easily synchronized to the external timing. To increasethe rate at which commands can be applied and at which data can betransferred to and from the memory device, the frequency of the externalclock signal is increased, and in modern synchronous memories thefrequency is in excess of 500 MHz. As the frequency of the externalclock signal increases, however, the time delay introduced by theinternal circuitry becomes more significant. This is true because as thefrequency of the external clock signal increases, the period of thesignal decreases and thus even small delays introduced by the internalcircuitry correspond to significant phase shifts between the internaland external clock signals. As a result, the commands applied to thememory device may no longer be valid by the time the internal clocksignal clocks the latches. Additionally, as the frequency of theexternal clock increases, variations in the duty cycle of the clocksignal introduce a greater duty cycle error. An ideal duty cycle for aclock signal is typically 50 percent. That is, over the period of aclock cycle, the clock signal is HIGH for 50 percent of the period. Asthe period of the clock signals become shorter due to the increasedclock frequency, a clock variation that results in a subtle shift induty cycle, and which can be ignored at a lower clock frequency, mayresult in a much more significant shift in the duty cycle of the higherfrequency clock signal. In some instances, if the duty cycle of theclock signal is left uncorrected, timing errors may cause the memorydevice to fail.

To synchronize external and internal clock signals in modern synchronousmemory devices, a number of different approaches have been consideredand utilized, including delay-locked loops (DLLs), as will beappreciated by those skilled in the art. As used herein, the termsynchronized includes signals that are coincident and signals that havea desired delay relative to one another. To correct duty cycle errors inclock signals, duty cycle correction (DCC) circuits are used to generateclock signals having a 50 percent duty cycle. FIG. 1 illustrates aconventional clock generator 100 having a DLL 110 and a DCC circuit 120.An input clock signal CLK represents an external clock signal applied tothe DLL. As will be explained in more detail below, the DLL generates anoutput clock signal CLK0 that is synchronized with the CLK signal. Dueto the design of conventional DLLs, a duty cycle error in the CLK signalwill be carried through to the CLK0 signal. Thus, the CLK0 signal isprovided to the DCC 120 to correct any duty cycle error and generate anoutput clock signal CLKSYNC that is synchronized with the CLK0 signaland has a duty cycle corrected to 50 percent.

FIG. 2 illustrates the conventional DLL 110 and the DCC circuit 120 ingreater detail. The DLL includes an input buffer 202 that provides abuffered clock signal CLKBUF in response to receiving the CLK signal.The CLKBUF signal is delayed relative to the CLK signal due to apropagation delay of the input buffer 202. The CLKBUF signal is providedto a variable delay circuit 204 that has a variable delay Td controlledby an adjustment signal DADJ1 generated by a shift register 206. Theoutput clock signal of the variable delay is the CLK0 signal, which isdelayed relative to the CLKBUF signal by the variable delay Td. Anoutput clock signal CLKSYNC is fed back through a model delay 208 toprovide a feedback clock signal CLKFB1. The model delay 208 adds a delayTm to the CLKSYNC signal, which is approximately equal to the totaldelay of the input buffer 202, an output buffer 240, which is includedin the DCC 120, and delay that is injected by the DCC 120 to the CLK0signal and a CLK180 signal. A phase detector compares the CLKBUF andCLKFB1 signals, and generates a control signal DCONT1 for the shiftregister 206 in response to the phase difference between the CLKBUF andCLKFB1 signals. The variable delay circuit 204 is adjusted until thevariable delay Td is sufficient to synchronize the CLKBUF and CLKFB1signals. When the CLKBUF and CLKFB1 signals are in phase, the DLL 110 issaid to be “locked.” Under this condition, the timing of the CLK0 signalis such that the delay of the output buffer 240 is accommodated, and aclock signal output by the output buffer 240 would be in phase with theCLK signal. As known in the art, when the CLKBUF and CLKFB1 signals arein phase, the delay of the DLL feedback loop, generally defined by thevariable delay 204 and the model delay 208, is a multiple of the periodTCLKBUF of the CLKBUF signal. That is, the feedback loop delay is equalto n*TCLKBUF, where “n” is an integer value.

As previously mentioned, the CLK0 signal is provided to the DCC circuit120 for duty cycle correction. The DCC circuit 120 includes a firstvariable delay 230 and a second variable delay 232, which are coupled inseries. An output clock signal CLKFB2 of the variable delay 232 iscompared with the CLK0 signal by a phase detector 238. The phasedetector 238 generates a control signal DCONT2 that is provided to ashift register 234. The shift register 234 generates an adjustmentsignal DADJ2 based on the DCONT2 signal that is used to adjust both thevariable delay 230 and the variable delay 232 to the same delay. Whenthe variable delays 230, 232 have been adjusted so that the phasedifference between the CLK0 and CLKFB2 signals is an odd multiple of theclock period of the CLK0 signal an output clock signal CLK180 from thefirst variable delay 230 is 180 degrees out of phase from the CLK0signal. As known in the art, the delay of the feedback loop for the DCC120, which is generally defined by the variable delays 230 and 232, isequal to one period of the CLK0 signal. Thus, one-half the loop delay,that is, the delay of one of the variable delays 230 or 232, willprovide a delay equal to one-half the period of the CLK0 signal, whichis a clock signal 180 degrees out of phase from the CLK0 signal. TheCLK0 and CLK180 signals are used by the output buffer 240 to generatethe CLKSYNC signal, which is synchronized with the CLK signal and has acorrected duty cycle.

Although the clock generator 100 provides a synchronized clock signalhaving a corrected duty cycle, the circuit is slow to generate theCLKSYNC signal upon startup and is cumbersome. The conventional clockgenerator 100 is slow because two different feedback loops must belocked before an acceptable CLKSYNC signal is generated. That is, uponstart up, the DCC 120 must be synchronized before the DLL 110 isactivated to provide a clock signal having the appropriate delayrelative to the CLK signal or the DLL 110 is synchronized before the DCC120 is activated for duty cycle correction. In the event the DLL 110 issynchronized before the DCC 120 is activated, the time required togenerate a synchronized CLK0 signal can take several hundred clockcycles. The DCC 120 then takes additional time for it to adjust thevariable delays 230 and 234 to synchronize the CLK0 signal and the CLKFBsignal to provide a suitable CLK180 signal. The time for the DCC 120 tolock can add a significant amount of time to the already lengthy time ittakes to lock the DLL 110. The clock generator 100 is cumbersome becausethe circuit includes nearly two complete DLLs. That is, the clockgenerator 100 includes three different variable delay circuits 204, 230,232, two phase detectors 210, 238, and two shift registers 206, 234. Avariable delay typically takes up a relatively large amount of space ona semiconductor substrate on which the clock generator and othercomponents of a memory device are formed. Having multiple variabledelays only exacerbates the issue and can be undesirable where thegeneral design goal is reducing circuit size. Moreover, a variable delayhas relatively high power consumption, which may be particularlyundesirable in low-power applications, such as in a portablebattery-operated device. Having multiple variable delays only increasespower consumption, making a potentially undesirable situation evenworse.

Therefore, there is a need for an alternative clock generator thatcombines the functions of a DLL and DCC circuit and reduces the numberof redundant circuits.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a clock generator for generating anoutput clock signal synchronized with an input clock signal and having acorrected duty cycle. In one aspect of the invention, the clockgenerator includes an input buffer to buffer the input clock signal andgenerate a buffered clock signal. The clock generator further includesan output buffer to generate the output clock signal in response tofirst and second clock signals applied to first and second inputs. Anadjustable delay loop coupled to the output of the input buffer andfurther coupled to the first and second inputs of the output buffer, hasa single feedback delay loop and is configured to generate a first clocksignal and a second clock signal where the second clock signal is out ofphase from the first clock signal by 180 degrees.

In another aspect of the invention, a method for generating a delayedclock signal synchronized with a reference clock signal and having acorrected duty cycle includes delaying the reference clock signal by atotal delay equal to an odd multiple of a period of the reference clocksignal. The total delay includes an input buffer delay, an adjustabledelay, a fixed delay, and an output buffer delay. The method furtherincludes generating a first clock signal having a first delay relativeto the reference clock signal equal to the input buffer delay and halfof the adjustable delay and generating a second clock signal having asecond delay relative to the reference clock signal equal to the inputbuffer delay, the adjustable delay, and the fixed delay. In a time equalto the output buffer delay, the first clock signal and a second clocksignal are combined to provide the delayed clock signal.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a conventional clock generator.

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of a conventional delay-locked loopand duty cycle correction circuit included in the conventional clockgenerator of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of a clock generator according toan embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram of a clock generator according toan alternative embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram of a clock generator according toan alternative embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a timing diagram of various signals during the operation ofthe clock generator of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a functional block diagram illustrating a synchronous memorydevice including a clock generator according to an embodiment of theinvention.

FIG. 8 is a functional block diagram illustrating a computer systemincluding a synchronous memory device of FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a clock generatorfor generating an output clock signal that is in phase with an inputclock signal and has a corrected duty cycle. Certain details are setforth below to provide a sufficient understanding of the invention.However, it will be clear to one skilled in the art that the inventionmay be practiced without these particular details. In other instances,well-known circuits, control signals, and timing protocols have not beenshown in detail in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the invention.

FIG. 3 is a clock generator 300 according to an embodiment of thepresent invention. As will be explained in more detail below, the clockgenerator 300 generates a clock signal CLKSYNC that is synchronized withan input clock signal CLK, and that has a duty cycle corrected tosubstantially a 50 percent duty cycle. The clock generator 300 includesan input buffer 302 that generates a buffered clock signal CLKBUF fromthe CLK signal. As previously discussed, the input buffer 302 introducesan input buffer delay Tib to the CLK signal. Thus, the CLKBUF signal isdelayed relative to the CLK signal by the delay Tib. The CLKBUF signalis provided to a first variable delay 304 which generates a delayedclock signal CLKDEL180 having a variable delay Vd1 relative to theCLKBUF signal. The CLKDEL180 signal is provided to an output buffer 308having an output buffer delay Tob. A second variable delay 306 coupledto the output of the first variable delay 304 generates a delayedbuffered clock signal CLKBUFDEL having a variable delay Vd2 relative tothe CLKDEL180 signal. The CLKBUFDEL signal is provided to a model delay310 which generates a delayed clock signal CLKDEL360 having a modeldelay Tm relative to the CLKBUFDEL signal. The Tm delay of the modeldelay 310 is approximately equal to the sum of the input buffer delayTib of the input buffer 302 and the output buffer delay Tob of theoutput buffer 308. As will be explained in more detail below, theCLKDEL180 signal is 180 degrees out of phase from the CLKDEL360 signalwhen the first variable delay 304 and the second variable delay 306 areadjusted so that the total delay between the CLKBUF signal and afeedback clock signal CLKFB is equal to an odd multiple of the clockperiod TCLK of the CLKBUF signal. The CLKDEL180 and CLKDEL360 signalsare used by the output buffer 308 to provide the CLKSYNC signal. Theoutput buffer 308 generates the CLKSYNC signal having a duty cyclecorrected to 50 percent using the CLKDEL180 and CLKDEL360 signals. Theoutput buffer 308 is conventional, and output buffer circuits suitablefor the output buffer 308 are well known in the art. Thus, a moredetailed description of the output buffer 308 is not provided herein inthe interest of brevity.

The CLKBUFDEL signal is further delayed through model delays 312, 314 togenerate the CLKFB signal. Each of the model delays 312, 314 has a modeldelay of Tm that is approximately equal to the sum of the input bufferdelay Tib and the output buffer delay Tob. The CLKFB signal is comparedto the CLKBUF signal by a phase detector 320 which generates a controlsignal DCONT. The logic level of the DCONT signal is based on the phaserelationship between the CLKBUF signal and the CLKFB signal. The DCONTsignal is used by a shift register 324 to set a value that adjusts thevariable delays Vd1, Vd2 of the variable delays 304, 306, respectively.As previously mentioned, the value of the shift register 324 is providedto both of the variable delays 304, 306 as an adjustment signal DADJ.Since the variable delays 304 and 306 have the respective variabledelays Vd1, Vd2 set by the same DADJ signal, the delays of the variabledelays 304 and 306 are the same. The variable delays Vd1 and Vd2contribute to a total variable delay Td between the CLKBUF and CLKBUFDELsignals. As a result, with the variable delay Vd1 equal to the variabledelay Vd2, and the delay Td being the sum of Vd1 and Vd2, each variabledelay 304, 306 has a variable delay of Td/2.

In operation, the variable delay Td/2 of the variable delays 304, 306are adjusted until the CLKBUF and CLKFB signals are in phase. Thefeedback loop can be referred to as being “locked” at this point.Generally, the DCONT signal will have a first logic level when the CLKFBsignal is leading the CLKBUF signal. If the DCONT signal continues tohave the first logic level for a minimum time, the value stored by theshift register 324 increases which in turn increases the variable delayTd/2 of the variable delays 304, 306. Conversely, when the CLKFB signalis lagging the CLKBUF signal, the DCONT signal has a second logic level,which, if maintained for the minimum time, the value stored by the shiftregister 324 decreases to decrease the variable delay Td/2 of thevariable delays 304, 306. When the CLKBUF and the CLKFB signals are inphase, the logic level of the DCONT signal does not maintain the samelogic level for the minimum time, and thus, the value stored by theshift register 324 neither increases or decreases. As a result, thevariable delay Td/2 does not change.

When the CLKBUF and CLKFB signals are in phase, the feedback loop delay,generally defined by the variable delays 304, 306 and the model delays312, 314, is equal to a multiple of the clock period TCLK of the CLKBUFsignal, or N*TCLK, where N is an integer value. For the clock generator300, the period TCLK of the CLKBUF signal is also the period of the CLKsignal since the input buffer 302 does not affect the frequency orperiod of the CLK signal in delaying the CLK signal by Tib.Additionally, when the CLKBUF and CLKFB signals are in phase, theCLKDEL360 signal generated by the model delay 310 would be synchronizedwith the CLK signal if passed through an output buffer having an outputbuffer delay equal to Tob of the output buffer 308. That is, because thefeedback loop delay is equal to N*TCLK,

N*TCLK=(Td/2+Td/2)+2*Tm, where Tm is equal to (Tib+Tob),

N*TCLK=Td+2*Tm, where Td is the total variable delay,

Td=N*TCLK−2*Tm.

Thus, with Td equal to (N*TCLK−2*Tm),

CLKSYNC=CLK+Tib+Td+Tm+Tob,

CLKSYNC=CLK+Tib+(N*TCLK−2*Tm)+Tm+Tob,

CLKSYNC=CLK+Tib+N*TCLK−Tm+Tob,

CLKSYNC=CLK+N*TCLK.

The result is that a CLKSYNC signal generated from only the CLKDEL360signal is synchronized with the CLK signal, but delayed by some Nmultiple of the period of the CLK signal.

As previously mentioned, the CLKDEL180 signal output by the variabledelay 304 is 180 degrees out of phase with the CLKDEL360 signal when thefeedback loop is locked to an odd multiple of the TCLK period of theCLKBUF signal. This will now be described in greater detail. Aspreviously discussed, the feedback loop of the variable delays 304, 306and the model delays 312, 314 is locked when Td=N*TCLK−2*Tm. Solving theequation for N*TCLK provides N*TCLK=Td+2*Tm. For a clock signal that is180 degrees out of phase from the CLKDEL360 signal, a signal that leadsor lags the CLKDEL360 signal by a half-multiple of TCLK, or (N/2)*TCLKwhere N is an odd integer, is desired. Dividing the previous equationfor N*TCLK by two provides (N/2)*TCLK=(Td/2)+Tm. Thus, a signal that isleading the CLKDEL360 signal by a delay of (Td/2)+Tm will be 180 degreesout of phase of the CLKDEL360 signal. As illustrated in FIG. 3, theCLKDEL180 signal leads the CLKDEL360 signal by a total delay of Td/2(from the variable delay 306) and Tm (from the model delay 310),resulting in the CLKDEL180 signal being 180 degrees out of phase fromthe CLKDEL360 signal.

With the CLKDEL180 and CLKDEL360 signals available, the output buffer308 can generate a CLKSYNC signal that is synchronized with the CLKsignal and has a corrected duty cycle of 50 percent. In contrast withconventional clock generators that have a synchronized clock signalfirst generated by a DLL, that is then corrected by a DCC to have a dutycycle of 50 percent, the clock generator 300 includes only one feedbackloop through the variable delays 304, 306 and the model delays 312, 314.In contrast, the conventional clock generator 100 has two feedbackloops: one for the DLL 110 and another one for the DCC 120. Although theclock generator 300 includes additional model delays compared to theconventional clock generator 100, only one phase detector 320 and a pairof variable delays 304, 306 (having a total variable delay Tdapproximately equal to the variable delay 204 of the conventional clockgenerator 100) are needed to generate both the CLKDEL360 and CLKDEL180signals. As previously discussed, the CLKDEL180 signal will be 180degrees out of phase from the CLKDEL360 signal for odd multiples ofTCLK. As known in the art, the total delay of the feedback loop can bedesigned so that the feedback loop locks on odd multiples of the periodof the CLK signal.

FIG. 4 is a clock generator 400 according to an alternative embodimentof the present invention. The clock generator 400 includes elements thathave been previously described with respect to the clock generator 300of FIG. 3. Those elements have been shown in FIG. 4 using the samereference numbers used in FIG. 3. Operation of the common elements areas previously described. Consequently, a detailed description of theoperation of these elements will not be repeated in the interest ofbrevity.

The clock generator 400 is similar to the clock generator 300 exceptthat a CLKDEL360 signal is coupled from a different point and one of themodel delays has been omitted. The clock generator 400 generates aCLKSYNC signal that is in phase with the CLK signal, and has a dutycycle corrected to 50 percent. The CLKSYNC signal is in phase with theCLK signal when the feedback loop, generally defined by the variabledelays 304, 306 and the model delays 410, 412, is locked. That is whenthe CLKBUF signal and the CLKFB signal are in phase. Each of the modeldelays has a delay that is approximately equal to the sum of the inputbuffer delay Tib of the input buffer 302 and the output buffer delay Tobof the output buffer 308. As with the feedback loop of the clockgenerator 300, the feedback loop of the clock generator 400 is lockedwhen the feedback loop delay is equal to a multiple of the period TCLKof the CLKBUF signal, or N*TCLK. That is, N*TCLK=(Td/2+Td/2)+Tm+Tm,which reduces to N*TCLK=Td+2*Tm. Thus, for the feedback loop of theclock generator 400 to lock, the variable delay Td should be adjusted tobe equal to N*TCLK−2*Tm, as previously described with respect to theclock generator 300. With the variable delay Td set to N*TCLK−2*Tm, theCLKDEL360 signal provides a CLKSYNC signal that is in phase with the CLKsignal if provided to an output buffer having a delay that is equal toTob of the output buffer 308.

As with the clock generator 300, the clock generator 400 provides aCLKDEL180 signal that is 180 degrees out of phase from the CLKDEL360signal at the output of the variable delay 304 when the feedback loop islocked to an odd multiple of the TCLK period of the CLKBUF signal. Aspreviously discussed, a clock signal that leads the CLKDEL360 signal byone-half a period, that is, (N/2)*TCLK where N is an odd integer, willbe 180 degrees out of phase from the CLKDEL360 signal. As previouslyshown, a signal that leads the CLKDEL360 signal by a time delay equal to(Td/2)+Tm satisfies this condition. The CLKDEL180, which leads theCLKDEL360 signal by (Td/2)+Tm, is consequently 180 degrees out of phasefrom the CLKDEL360 signal. The CLKDEL360 and CLKDEL180 signals areprovided to the output buffer 308 to generate a CLKSYNC signal that isin phase with the CLK signal, and also has a duty cycle of 50 percent.As with the clock generator 300 of FIG. 3, the feedback loop can bedesigned having a total feedback loop delay such that the feedback loopof the variable delays 304, 306 and the model delays 410, 412 locks onan odd multiple of the period of the CLK signal.

FIG. 5 illustrates a clock generator 500 according to an alternativeembodiment of the present invention. The clock generator 500 generates aclock signal CLKSYNC that is in phase with a clock signal CLK, and thathas a duty cycle corrected to 50 percent. The clock generator 500includes elements previously described with respect to the clockgenerators 300 and 400. These elements are referenced in FIG. 5 usingthe same reference numbers as in FIGS. 3 and 4, and a detaileddescription will not be repeated here in the interest of brevity. Incontrast to the clock generators 300 and 400, the clock generator 500includes a frequency divider 504 to divide the clock frequency of theCLK signal by two, and includes a phase detector 520 that compares thefalling edge of the CLKBUF signal with the rising edge of the CLKFBsignal. The clock generator 500 also includes a logic circuit 508 thatreceives a CLKDEL360 signal and a CLKDEL90 signal, which are at one-halfthe frequency of the CLK signal, and generates a first clock signal CLKRand a second clock signal CLKF that have frequencies that are the sameas the CLK signal. The CLKR and CLKF signals are 180 degrees out ofphase relative to each other. An output buffer 308 is coupled to thelogic circuit 508 and receives the CLKR and CLKF signals, and inresponse, generates a CLKSYNC signal that is in phase with the CLKsignal and has a duty cycle corrected to 50 percent.

Operation of the clock generator 500 is similar to the clock generators300 and 400. However, by dividing the frequency of the CLK signal bytwo, and comparing the falling edge of the CLKBUF signal to the risingedge of the CLKFB signal, the clock generator 500 includes a feedbackloop that forcibly locks on odd cycles of the CLK signal. FIG. 6illustrates various clock signals during the operation of the clockgenerator 500. The frequency divider 504 generates a CLKBUF signalhaving one-half the frequency of the CLK signal. The CLKBUF signal lagsthe CLK signal by an input buffer delay of the input buffer 302 and apropagation delay of the frequency divider 504, the total delay shown inFIG. 6 as Tib. A CLKFB signal, which is delayed relative to the CLKBUFsignal by a delay equal to Td+2*Tm (total delay of the variable delays304, 306 and the model delays 312, 314) is coupled to the phase detector520. As shown in FIG. 6, the CLKBUF and CLKFB signals are locked at 180degrees out of phase due to the comparison of the falling edge of theCLKBUF signal with the rising edge of the CLKFB signal. That is, thevariable delay of the variable delays 304, 306 have been adjusted sothat the falling edge of the CLKBUF signal is aligned with the risingedge of the CLKFB signal. The times at which the falling edge of theCLKBUF signal is in phase with the rising edge of the CLKFB signalcorresponds to the odd cycles of the CLK signals. As shown in FIG. 6,the feedback loop is locked when the variable delay Td is adjusted suchthat the total feedback loop delay is equal to 3*TCLK. Also shown inFIG. 6 is the CLKDEL360 signal that is delayed Td+Tm relative to theCLKBUF signal due to the variable delays 304, 306 and the model delay310. The CLKDEL90 signal shown in FIG. 6 is delayed Td/2 relative to theCLKBUF signal due to the variable delay 304. The result is that theCLKDEL90 signal is not 180 degrees out of phase with the CLKDEL360signal, as with the CLKDEL180 signal in the clock generators 300 and400, but rather, the CLKDEL90 signal is out of phase with the CLKDEL360signal by a multiple of 90 degrees.

The feedback loop delay of the variable delays 304, 306 and the modeldelays 312, 314, is equal to an integer multiple of the period of theCLKBUF signal plus one-half of the period of the CLKBUF signal, due tothe comparison of the rising edge of the CLKFB signal with the fallingedge of the CLKBUF signal. That is, (n+(½))TCLKBUF=(Td/2)+(Td/2)+2*Tmwhere n is any integer. This equation reduces to (n+(½))TCLKBUF=Td+2*Tm.Dividing the equation by two provides[(Td/2)+Tm]=(n/2)TCLKBUF+(¼)TCLKBUF. The delay [(Td/2)+Tm] is the delaybetween the CLKDEL90 signal and the CLKDEL360 signal. Thus, the CLKBUF90signal, which lags the CLKBUF360 signal by a total delay of [(Td/2)+Tm],is a multiple of one-fourth of the period TCLKBUF, which results in aCLKBUF90 signal that is out of phase with the CLKBUF360 signal by amultiple 90 degrees.

Both the CLKDEL90 and CLKDEL360 signals are provided to the logiccircuit 508, which uses the signals to generate the CLKR and CLKFsignals that have frequencies equal to the CLK signal. As previouslymentioned, the CLKR and CLKF signals are 180 degrees out of phase withrespect to one another. Although not shown in FIG. 5, the logic circuit508 includes an exclusive OR (XOR) gate for generating the CLKR signaland further includes an exclusive NOR (XNOR) gate for generating theCLKF signal. Alternative logic gates can be used as well, and thepresent example is merely an embodiment of the invention. The CLKR andCLKF signals are then provided to the output buffer 308 where the CLKRand CLKF signals are used to generate a CLKSYNC signal that is in phasewith the CLK signal and also has a duty cycle corrected to 50 percent.The CLKSYNC signal is delayed relative to the CLKR and CLKF signal by adelay of the output buffer 308 to be synchronized with the CLK signal.As shown in FIG. 6, the delay Tob includes the propagation delay of thelogic circuit 508 and the output buffer 308 in generating the CLKSYNCsignal from the CLKDEL90 and CLK360 signals.

In an alternative embodiment, the clock generator 400 is modified asshown in FIG. 5 to include a feedback loop that forcibly locks on oddcycles of the CLK signal. Such modifications can include modifying theclock generator 400 to include a frequency divider 504 and a logiccircuit 508, and further having a phase detector compare rising andfalling edges of the CLKBUF and CLKFB signals. In another embodiment ofthe invention, a conventional DCC, such as the DCC 120 (FIG. 2), can bemodified as well by including a frequency divider, a logic circuit, andcomparing rising and falling edges of the CLK0 and CLKFB2 signals toforcibly lock the feedback loop on odd cycles of the CLK0 signal. Suchmodifications can be made by those ordinarily skilled in the art basedon the description provided herein.

FIG. 7 is a functional block diagram of a memory device 700 including aclock generator 723 according to an embodiment of the present invention.The memory device 700 in FIG. 7 is a double-data rate (DDR) SDRAM,although the principles described herein are applicable to any memorydevice that may include a delay-locked loop for synchronizing internaland external signals, such as conventional synchronous DRAMs (SDRAMs),as well as packetized memory devices like SLDRAMs and RDRAMs, and areequally applicable to any integrated circuit that must synchronizeinternal and external clocking signals.

The memory device 700 includes an address register 702 that receivesrow, column, and bank addresses over an address bus ADDR, with a memorycontroller (not shown) typically supplying the addresses. The addressregister 702 receives a row address and a bank address that are appliedto a row address multiplexer 704 and bank control logic circuit 706,respectively. The row address multiplexer 704 applies either the rowaddress received from the address register 702 or a refresh row addressfrom a refresh counter 708 to a plurality of row address latch anddecoders 710A-D. The bank control logic 706 activates the row addresslatch and decoder 710A-D corresponding to either the bank addressreceived from the address register 702 or a refresh bank address fromthe refresh counter 708, and the activated row address latch and decoderlatches and decodes the received row address. In response to the decodedrow address, the activated row address latch and decoder 710A-D appliesvarious signals to a corresponding memory bank 712A-D to therebyactivate a row of memory cells corresponding to the decoded row address.Each memory bank 712A-D includes a memory-cell array having a pluralityof memory cells arranged in rows and columns, and the data stored in thememory cells in the activated row is stored in sense amplifiers in thecorresponding memory bank. The row address multiplexer 704 applies therefresh row address from the refresh counter 708 to the decoders 710A-Dand the bank control logic circuit 706 uses the refresh bank addressfrom the refresh counter when the memory device 700 operates in anauto-refresh or self-refresh mode of operation in response to an auto-or self-refresh command being applied to the memory device 700, as willbe appreciated by those skilled in the art.

A column address is applied on the ADDR bus after the row and bankaddresses, and the address register 702 applies the column address to acolumn address counter and latch 714 which, in turn, latches the columnaddress and applies the latched column address to a plurality of columndecoders 716A-D. The bank control logic 706 activates the column decoder716A-D corresponding to the received bank address, and the activatedcolumn decoder decodes the applied column address. Depending on theoperating mode of the memory device 700, the column address counter andlatch 714 either directly applies the latched column address to thedecoders 716A-D, or applies a sequence of column addresses to thedecoders starting at the column address provided by the address register702. In response to the column address from the counter and latch 714,the activated column decoder 716A-D applies decode and control signalsto an I/O gating and data masking circuit 718 which, in turn, accessesmemory cells corresponding to the decoded column address in theactivated row of memory cells in the memory bank 712A-D being accessed.

During data read operations, data being read from the addressed memorycells is coupled through the I/O gating and data masking circuit 718 toa read latch 720. The I/O gating and data masking circuit 718 supplies Nbits of data to the read latch 720, which then applies two N/2 bit wordsto a multiplexer 722. The circuit 718 provides 64 bits to the read latch720 which, in turn, provides two 32 bits words to the multiplexer 722. Adata driver 724 sequentially receives the N/2 bit words from themultiplexer 722 and also receives a data strobe signal DQS from a strobesignal generator 726 and a delayed clock signal CLKDEL from the clockgenerator 723. The DQS signal is used by an external circuit such as amemory controller (not shown) in latching data from the memory device700 during read operations. In response to the delayed clock signalCLKDEL, the data driver 724 sequentially outputs the received N/2 bitswords as a corresponding data word DQ, each data word being output insynchronism with a rising or falling edge of a CLK signal that isapplied to clock the memory device 700. The data driver 724 also outputsthe data strobe signal DQS having rising and falling edges insynchronism with rising and falling edges of the CLK signal,respectively. Each data word DQ and the data strobe signal DQScollectively define a data bus DATA. As will be appreciated by thoseskilled in the art, the CLKDEL signal from the DLL is a delayed versionof the CLK signal, and the clock generator 723 adjusts the delay of theCLKDEL signal relative to the CLK signal to ensure that the DQS signaland the DQ words are placed on the DATA bus in synchronism with the CLKsignal, as previously described. The DATA bus also includes maskingsignals DM0-M, which will be described in more detail below withreference to data write operations.

During data write operations, an external circuit such as a memorycontroller (not shown) applies N/2 bit data words DQ, the strobe signalDQS, and corresponding data masking signals DM on the data bus DATA. Adata receiver 728 receives each DQ word and the associated DM signals,and applies these signals to input registers 730 that are clocked by theDQS signal. In response to a rising edge of the DQS signal, the inputregisters 730 latch a first N/2 bit DQ word and the associated DMsignals, and in response to a falling edge of the DQS signal the inputregisters latch the second N/2 bit DQ word and associated DM signals.The input register 730 provides the two latched N/2 bit DQ words as anN-bit word to a write FIFO and driver 732, which clocks the applied DQword and DM signals into the write FIFO and driver in response to theDQS signal. The DQ word is clocked out of the write FIFO and driver 732in response to the CLK signal, and is applied to the I/O gating andmasking circuit 718. The I/O gating and masking circuit 718 transfersthe DQ word to the addressed memory cells in the accessed bank 712A-Dsubject to the DM signals, which may be used to selectively mask bits orgroups of bits in the DQ words (i.e., in the write data) being writtento the addressed memory cells.

A control logic and command decoder 734 receives a plurality of commandand clocking signals over a control bus CONT, typically from an externalcircuit such as a memory controller (not shown). The command signalsinclude a chip select signal CS*, a write enable signal WE*, a columnaddress strobe signal CAS*, and a row address strobe signal RAS*, whilethe clocking signals include a clock enable signal CKE* andcomplementary clock signals CLK, CLK*, with the “*” designating a signalas being active low. The command signals CS*, WE*, CAS*, and RAS* aredriven to values corresponding to a particular command, such as a read,write, or auto-refresh command. In response to the clock signals CLK,CLK*, the command decoder 734 latches and decodes an applied command,and generates a sequence of clocking and control signals that controlthe components 702-732 to execute the function of the applied command.The clock enable signal CKE enables clocking of the command decoder 734by the clock signals CLK, CLK*. The command decoder 734 latches commandand address signals at positive edges of the CLK, CLK* signals (i.e.,the crossing point of CLK going high and CLK* going low), while theinput registers 730 and data drivers 724 transfer data into and from,respectively, the memory device 700 in response to both edges of thedata strobe signal DQS and thus at double the frequency of the clocksignals CLK, CLK*. This is true because the DQS signal has the samefrequency as the CLK, CLK* signals. The memory device 700 is referred toas a double-data-rate device because the data words DQ being transferredto and from the device are transferred at double the rate of aconventional SDRAM, which transfers data at a rate corresponding to thefrequency of the applied clock signal. The detailed operation of thecontrol logic and command decoder 734 in generating the control andtiming signals is conventional, and thus, for the sake of brevity, willnot be described in more detail.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of a computer system 800 including computercircuitry 802 including the memory device 700 of FIG. 7. Typically, thecomputer circuitry 802 is coupled through address, data, and controlbuses to the memory device 700 to provide for writing data to andreading data from the memory device. The computer circuitry 802 includescircuitry for performing various computing functions, such as executingspecific software to perform specific calculations or tasks. Inaddition, the computer system 800 includes one or more input devices804, such as a keyboard or a mouse, coupled to the computer circuitry802 to allow an operator to interface with the computer system.Typically, the computer system 800 also includes one or more outputdevices 806 coupled to the computer circuitry 802, such as outputdevices typically including a printer and a video terminal. One or moredata storage devices 808 are also typically coupled to the computercircuitry 802 to store data or retrieve data from external storage media(not shown). Examples of typical storage devices 808 include hard andfloppy disks, tape cassettes, compact disk read-only (CD-ROMs) andcompact disk read-write (CD-RW) memories, and digital video disks(DVDs).

From the foregoing it will be appreciated that, although specificembodiments of the invention have been described herein for purposes ofillustration, various modifications may be made without deviating fromthe spirit and scope of the invention. Such modifications are wellwithin the skill of those ordinarily skilled in the art. Accordingly,the invention is not limited except as by the appended claims.

1. A clock generator for generating an output clock signal synchronizedwith an input clock signal and having a corrected duty cycle, the clockgenerator comprising: an input buffer having an input to which the inputclock is coupled and an output, the input buffer configured to bufferthe input clock signal and generate a buffered clock signal; an outputbuffer having first and second inputs and further having an output atwhich the output clock signal is provided, the output buffer configuredto generate the output clock signal in response to clock signals appliedto the first and second inputs; and an adjustable delay loop having aninput coupled to the output of the input buffer and having first andsecond outputs coupled to the first and second inputs of the outputbuffer, respectively, the adjustable delay loop further having a singlefeedback delay loop and configured to generate a first clock signalprovided at the first output and generate a second clock signal providedat the second output, the second clock signal out of phase from thefirst clock signal by 180 degrees. 2-85. (canceled)